Automobile signal-controlling- mechanism



C. C. LOUER.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPucATmN man JUNE 3o. 1911.

l,389,366 Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

wiftmoow.' M 44 4 moval of the voperators...hands from fthe" `hands in -loperating the steering wheel, are" employed in the proper operation of the sig-- BEST AVALAEL @Or crIRnEs c.- Lonnie., @or CINCINNATI, OHIO.

PATENT ferries.

' AUTOMOBILE `sieivilrriscoiv'rRoLLnve MncHANIsM.

if .i

o'alliwwmz't concern.'

Beit known that LfCHARLns "C, LoDnR, citizen of. the United, States of America, Vand resident of f Cincinnati,- inV thei county fof. HamiltonandState of Ohio, have invented av newy and useful Improvement inl Automobile.

SignaleControllingv Mechanisms, of which the vfollowingis .'afspecicationj'- f.. An .objectof my invention is to produce an improved. signal .controlling mechanism for 1 automobiles, in'uu'rl1ichtheinecessity of resteering wheel, .to ,1operate asignal sending mechanism,is:overcome. ff

A further object is to produce an irnproved signal controlling mechanism which is mounted uponthe steering wheelof an.

automobile in manner vand :position such that the operators comfortable grasp of the steering wheel is not changed and in which the natural movements and positions of the nal controlling mechanism. y Y Ai further lob]ect iste-produce 4an 1mproved signaly controllmgffy mechanism 1n I .which movement of the steering wheel to diferent-'positions, is-'free, although certain elements of the signal controlling mechanism are mounted thereon.

v These and other objects 'are attained in the .signal controlling vmechanism 'described in the following specification -and illustrated the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a fragmental-planfview of a steering 'wheel having mechanism embodying my invention mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional View taken on the line 3-.3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional view taken on the-line 4 -4'of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of4 asigna'l indicating device adapted to be located at the front and rear of the automobile.

My .improvedxsignal controlling .mechanism consists of a contact. mechanism 6 adapted to permit rotary movement of the steering` wheel, push buttons 7 and 8 adapted to control the horn of the automobile, shifting buttons 9, 10 and 11 adapted respectively to control the left direction indicating signal, the right direction indicating signal,

` 3 specificati@ pf Luers'ratent.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

.Applicationled JuneBO, 191,7.. Seria1 No. 177,986.

andthe s'pecialsignal such as one indicating a doctors car, etc.

v-Contact mechanism 6 is located beneath the steering wheel 12 of the automobile and consists of a superimposed hard rubber or ber cup-shaped member 13 secured to the under side of the steering wheel by means of sa' series of screws 14 located in lugs 15 extending from the cup-shaped member and secured to the arms 1G of the steering wheel, and a hard .rubber or fiber subjacent member 17 which is secured to the steering post 1-8 ofrthe automobile and which is located within a `depending flange 19 formed on member 13. Member -17 is provided with a series of annular grooves 2O in which are located a series of metal rings 21, 22, 23 and 24 which lie on the bottoms of grooves 20. Grooves2() are of such a depth that rings 21 to 24 inclusive occupy but a portion of the depth thereof. Secured to the under Slde of cup-shaped member 13 are a series of springs 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 which are adapted to engage the respective rings 24, 23, 22 and 21. Each of the springs 25 to 29 inclusive are of the shape disclosed in Fig. 4 in which one end is secured by means of a screw stud 30^to cup shaped member 13 and the other end i'sfreevto yield when pressed into engagement with the rings. At a suitable point beneath each ring an opening 31 is provided for the passage therethrough of a wire 32 to which the signal indicating device illustrated in Fig. 5 is connected. Each screw stud 30 of each of the springs is connected with a wire which connects it with its proper one of the push and shifting buttons. Push buttons 7 and 8, both being connected with the horn, are located in the same circuit and for this reason employ but one ring 22 upon which springs 27 and 28 bear. Shifting button 9 is shown in the drawing as being connected with spring 26 and thence through ring 23 to its proper element of the signal indicating device, by means of a lead wire 34. Shifting button 10 is connected with the'spring 25 and thence through ring 24 to its proper element of the signal indicating device, by means of lead 33. Shifting button 11 is connected with spring 29 and thence through ring 21 to its proper ele ment of the signal indicating device by means of a lead 35. The push buttons and shifting buttons are connected with their respective leads in the manner illustrated in `Afssi Avrete-ets cosel Fig. 3, the terminals 3G and 37 oplushfbutton 7 beingl disclosed in this figure. Each oi. the shitting buttons is constructed in the saine manner as shiftingbu'tton 9 disclosed in longitudinal section in Figz in ywhich a casing 38 is shown sunken into the steering wheel rim and as being provided with a shittingr 'block '39 having a corrugated finger piece Al() extending above theicasing for inanual reciprocation oit the block. When in the position .disclosed in 3, the vcircuit ot' that clement of the signal indicating .device connected 2with :this shifting button lis broken, fbut nvhen :the .block 39 is -moved toward'the opposite end :ofthe casingapair ot contacts .atl and 42 are brought into .en- `nigeinent with .one another v:to complete .a circuit to its .elementof the signal indicating device. For the purpose .of retaining shitting- .block 32) in leather-rot :these .positions l have provided a pair of notches t3 and ell which are adapted to cooperate witha detent ifoiuned in the easing, in such a manner that fwhen fin the circuit brealnngg position (intent-45 Ioccupies l.notch t3 vand when in the circuit making position detent 4.5 occupies notch el. iin ,order vto maintain shitting block 39 yi-n leither of the positions` it is adapted ytoloccrqiy, il lia-.ve provided .a spring i6 located between itzand the'bottom oit-casing BS so V.that it iuiay be pushed down to permit it to he moved from Aone .end to the other to bringcither .of ftsnotches .43 or 44 into position :to :be engagedlbydetent 45. In the drawings l Vhave sho'wnone branch of the circuit leading 'from each push and shiftbntton as being grounded at `points d? upon ythe metal portion oit' 4the steering wheel and thence through the yframe .of the machine, thus eliminating a number of wires in the wiring oi the circuits leadingto the indicating device illustrated in Fig. 5. The-normal position o .the operators hands upon the steering wheel is adjacent to the ends of fthe `sverse 'diameter ofv :the Wheel in its .eht ahead position. The horn operating push buttons T and 8 are mounted upon Jthe inner periphery ot' the steeringV wheel, .uljacent'te lthe normal positions ot' the operator`s hands, so as to bc 'readily accessible. to bis little lingers. Yi`he shitting buttons 9 and l0 are located upon the :upper surface the steeringr Wheel` adjacent to the normal (l position of the operator, so as to be readily accessible to his thumbs, the button 9 being,` in position such that it is moved in dra-.ving the hand toward the operator. such as is used in turning Athe machine to the left, and

the button 10 is mounted so as to loe moved, when the hand 1s drawn toward the operatei', .such .asis .done .in turning the machine 'to the right. ipon bringing the steering ton l1 is llocated at the top of the steering wheel and is adapted either to occupy an on or an off position since lthe special signal which it controls is intended to be illuminated continuously :until its illumination .is-no longer .-desired. rl.`he device -for indicating the signals is constructed in any suitable manner such :that each element thereof will .become .illuminated vupon 'proper operation of the pushor-shitingbutton connected with lit. Since :the electrica-l connections and manner lof illuminating the separate elements oztlthe signal indicating device, form Ino portion .of this invention, detailed disclosure thereof is omitted.

Having thus described .my invention, what I-claim :is:

l. A contact .device for automobile signal controlling mechanisms adapted to be `located on ;a steering 'wheel in position to be accessible to the shitting movement ofi the thumbs oi .the operator, said device consistingr of a lensing, contacts within the `casing and a 4:shutting block located within the-.easing,.ada;pted to .be shifted :by -the operators thumbs in directions substantially 4concentric with the periphery of the mvhcel, whereby the contacts :may Abewengaged l`and disengaged.

2. A. contact device for automobile signal controlling mechanisms adapted to be located ou a steering wheel in position Ato be accessible :to the shittingf :movement of the thumbs of the operaton'said device consisting ci' .a casing 'mounted on the steering wheel, normally .disengaged contacts Within the easing, -a shifting block'm-ovably mounted within :the casing ednpted ito be :shifted so as to move :the contacts 'into engagement with one anothennnd means within .the casing adapted to `vieldably maintain-the'blocl in a Ashifted position, the block being accessible to the thumbs oit' -the operator.

kln testimony whereof, l have hereunto .subscribed my naine this 28th day of June,

CHARLES C. LODER.

'vitnesses .VALTER F. MURRAY, lV. THORNTON BOGERT. 

